I don't think this is cool at all

[Sargon]

Got my new Uke today from the Southern Ukuleke Store.

No basic, intermediate, advanced setup nonsense just a FREE professional setup (including setting up a MISI pickup) which is out of this world. Honestly, the Uke plays so smoothly, the intonation is off the scale it’s just solid & balanced. It must have taken them hours to set it up correctly.

Do you know why they took the time to do it… Because their decent people who care. No sales pitch, just a great business giving it their all.

Southern is absolutely amazing. I bought one of my first ukes from them and they WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY to allow me to see and hear between two baritone ukes that were the same wood and model, so I could personally get the sonic and visual "pick of the litter". I did inquire as to which one sounded better, but I didn't even "ask" for such an accommodation either. (Never even entered my mind). But they gleaned that sound differences between ukes of the same model (though small), was important to me, so they made it important to them. (Incredible!) They also gave me their input as to which one they thought sounded better and why.

I'm not going into details about how they accomplished this for me (figure this out for yourself), for the simple reason that I'm absolutely certain that time restraints would most certainly prevent them from being able to accomodate all of their customers from other countries in the same way and I don't want this to become an "expectation" put upon them because of my post. They don't need to experience the "No good deed goes unpunished" situation. So, Sargon, you must have been an important and big buyer to get this service! No. This was my first purchase from them and the uke was a humble Kala solid wood baritone! However they choose to proceed with your selection and purchase, KNOW THIS, they have your heart and love for great sounding ukes and they WILL select their very best for you - whatever your price range. If you watch any of their videos, you will see their heart and passion for these instruments throughout the entire price ranges. It was their videos that got me to learn about them and want to buy from them. You will feel like they are your personal "friends" without ever meeting them. If you think that is over the top, just go and watch one of their videos and you will understand. One more thing, their meticulous set up was also "free" too. (Shocker! - I know).

This is the first time I've ever even mentioned this on a forum. What they did for me, just had to be acknowledged though, especially given the posts going back and forth on this forum as to what constitutes amazing selfless customer service and what DOES NOT.

I'm certain that if "another" store (can you guess which one?) provided the same amount of TIME and ACCOMODATION, I would most certainly have been charged at least 500-800-1000 dollars for this "service" on top of the price of my uke. No exaggeration. Actually, I'm also certain that store would REFUSE to provide, in their mind such a "preposterous and absurd" service for anyone for any amount of money, unless . . . you have 100,000.00 to spend on business courses. It appears that it has already been determined that this amount of money will get you a similar service. I wasn't charged a dime by Southern Ukuele Store. The difference in business models between these two stores are galaxies apart.

 

[SurferJay]

Southern is absolutely amazing. I bought one of my first ukes from them and they WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY to allow me to see and hear between two baritone ukes that were the same wood and model, so I could personally get the sonic and visual "pick of the litter". I did inquire as to which one sounded better, but I didn't even "ask" for such an accommodation either. But they gleaned that sound differences between ukes of the same model (though small), was important to me, so they made it important to them. (Incredible!) They also gave me their input as to which one they thought sounded better and why.

I'm not going into details about how they accomplished this for me (figure this out for yourself), for the simple reason that I'm absolutely certain the time restraints would most certainly prevent them from being able to accomodate all of their customers from other countries in the same way and I don't want this to become an "expectation" put upon them because of my post. They don't need to experience the "No good deed goes unpunished" situation. So, Sargon, you must have been an important and big buyer to get this service! No. This was my first purchase from them and the uke was a humble Kala solid wood baritone! However they choose to proceed with your selection and purchase, KNOW THIS, they have your heart and love for great sounding ukes and they WILL select their very best for you - whatever your price range. If you watch any of their videos, you will see their heart and passion for these instruments throughout the entire price ranges. It was their videos that got me to learn about them and want to buy from them. You will feel like they are your personal "friends" without ever meeting them. If you think that is over the top, just go and watch one of their videos and you will understand. One more thing, the set up was also "free" too. (Shocker! - I know).

This is the first time I've ever even mentioned this on a forum. What they did for me, just had to be acknowledged though, especially given the posts going back and forth on this forum as to what constitutes amazing selfless customer service and what DOES NOT.

I'm certain that if "another" store (can you guess which one?) provided the same amount of TIME and ACCOMODATION, I would most certainly have been charged at least 500-800-1000 dollars for this "service" on top of the price of my uke. No exaggeration. But I'm also certain that store would REFUSE to provide, in their mind such a "preposterous an absurd" service for anyone for any amount of money.

I couldn’t agree more. To sum it up… Before my Uke purchased I had exchanged 60 emails with them since January. During this time I had only purchased a set of Aquila strings. They never knew if I was serious about buying a Uke and always answered thoroughly and in detail.

 

[merlin666]

I couldn’t agree more. To sum it up… Before my Uke purchased I had exchanged 60 emails with them since January. During this time I had only purchased a set of Aquila strings. They never knew if I was serious about buying a Uke and always answered thoroughly and in detail.

It is stories like this we like to hear about stores that value and respect their clients. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Sargon]

I couldn’t agree more. To sum it up… Before my Uke purchased I had exchanged 60 emails with them since January. During this time I had only purchased a set of Aquila strings. They never knew if I was serious about buying a Uke and always answered thoroughly and in detail.

So true Surfer Jay!

I feel "better" hearing about your "60" emails to them. (I fear that I burned them out a bit with all of mine), though they were less. But I couldn't help myself. It feels like half of the ones I sent to them were expressions of overwhelming appreciation for their unreal customer service that they provided at each and every step of my purchase.

 

[badhabits]

Post your good experience on the good dealer thread

Good Ukulele Dealers

The current discussion about a less-than-wonderful seller led me to think of dealers that I like. The list below is in no particular order, but I have had good experiences with all of them, and often repeat sales. I am not going to include "bad" dealers, but if you use the ones I listed below...

forum.ukuleleunderground.com

this one is the #1 trainwreck/unaloha/unpro

 

[Sargon]

Post your good experience on the good dealer thread

Good Ukulele Dealers

The current discussion about a less-than-wonderful seller led me to think of dealers that I like. The list below is in no particular order, but I have had good experiences with all of them, and often repeat sales. I am not going to include "bad" dealers, but if you use the ones I listed below...

forum.ukuleleunderground.com

this one is the #1 trainwreck/unaloha/unpro

Good advice for sure. But I think some "contrasting" examples posted here provide some good perspective about all of this. I'm also certain that some have passed this way and thought that some of our "expectations" are unrealistic or unreasonable. Clearly they are not, as some wonderful dealers have tirelessly bent over backward to provide us with great experiences year after year. I'd love to see a troll swoop in here and try to dismantle/discredit the experience I provided. These great sellers that I've read about on here and other places have raised the bar so high, that any inverted counter business model argument comes off only looking defensively absurd.

These posts prove that people here are neither "haters' nor "complainers". We have just collectively had too many great experiences to be told that what we appreciatively experience year after year isn't based on reality or is somehow "secretly substandard".

 

[Cadia]

Southern is absolutely amazing. I bought one of my first ukes from them and they WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY to allow me to see and hear between two baritone ukes that were the same wood and model, so I could personally get the sonic and visual "pick of the litter". I did inquire as to which one sounded better, but I didn't even "ask" for such an accommodation either. (Never even entered my mind). But they gleaned that sound differences between ukes of the same model (though small), was important to me, so they made it important to them. (Incredible!) They also gave me their input as to which one they thought sounded better and why.

I'm not going into details about how they accomplished this for me (figure this out for yourself), for the simple reason that I'm absolutely certain the time restraints would most certainly prevent them from being able to accomodate all of their customers from other countries in the same way and I don't want this to become an "expectation" put upon them because of my post. They don't need to experience the "No good deed goes unpunished" situation. So, Sargon, you must have been an important and big buyer to get this service! No. This was my first purchase from them and the uke was a humble Kala solid wood baritone! However they choose to proceed with your selection and purchase, KNOW THIS, they have your heart and love for great sounding ukes and they WILL select their very best for you - whatever your price range. If you watch any of their videos, you will see their heart and passion for these instruments throughout the entire price ranges. It was their videos that got me to learn about them and want to buy from them. You will feel like they are your personal "friends" without ever meeting them. If you think that is over the top, just go and watch one of their videos and you will understand. One more thing, their meticulous set up was also "free" too. (Shocker! - I know).

This is the first time I've ever even mentioned this on a forum. What they did for me, just had to be acknowledged though, especially given the posts going back and forth on this forum as to what constitutes amazing selfless customer service and what DOES NOT.

I'm certain that if "another" store (can you guess which one?) provided the same amount of TIME and ACCOMODATION, I would most certainly have been charged at least 500-800-1000 dollars for this "service" on top of the price of my uke. No exaggeration. Actually, I'm also certain that store would REFUSE to provide, in their mind such a "preposterous and absurd" service for anyone for any amount of money, unless . . . you have 100,000.00 to spend on business courses. It appears that it has already been determined that this amount of money will get you a similar service. I wasn't charged a dime by Southern Ukuele Store. The difference in business models between these two stores are galaxies apart.

This is the kind of care and service I've gotten from the Ukulele Site and World of Ukes. Wonderful places that I have no concerns about buying from, because they make me feel that my satisfaction with their products is of utmost importance to them. From email correspondance to phone calls, I've felt that they've done their best to assist me and steer me in the right direction. And sometimes that entailed leading me away from one uke and towards another they thought I'd like better.

 

[Sargon]

This is the kind of care and service I've gotten from the Ukulele Site and World of Ukes. Wonderful places that I have no concerns about buying from, because they make me feel that my satisfaction with their products is of utmost importance to them. From email correspondance to phone calls, I've felt that they've done their best to assist me and steer me in the right direction. And sometimes that entailed leading me away from one uke and towards another they thought I'd like better.

1000% agree Cadia. Matt over at World of Ukes has been unbelievably accommodating and I've had no problems with my many Oahu uke case orders I've placed with the Ukulele Site. There are some other stores I've read about on here that sound just as wonderful. Must be a uke thing! (Seriously).

I also own guitars. But I've never had this type of experience with a guitar store. Not saying they don't exist. Just my experience so far.
I have zero interest dealing with Guitar Center "vibe" uke stores.

 

[DJ Mango]

What type of music is the gentleman in this World of Ukes sound sample video playing ?

 

[Sargon]

What type of music is the gentleman in this World of Ukes sound sample video playing ?

(Crazy I was in the middle of watching one of his new Baritone 8 string videos when I clicked back to this forum and found your post). Not sure what type of music it is but I know why Matt is playing it. In his sample videos demonstrating different brands, sizes, and models of ukes, he plays those same varied sample melodies, strums, fingerpicking, etc. so you can gauge the tonal quality of the uke with different types of playing and then be able to compare the sound differences of different ukes with each video using those same runs. The one you posted here is the shorter version. His baritone demos are longer.

(Another Matt) over at Aloha City Ukes also does his own run of chords/melodies he plays each and every time with each uke demo video he shows.

All very helpful IMO.

 

[Jerryc41]

Rich can be very, very passive-aggressive, hiding his anger behind southern hospitality language. This video makes sense when you realize his own business depends on his belief (honestly held or not, who knows) that no ukulele has more than $100 worth of sound in it. He almost exclusively sells $50-100 ukuleles and much of his marketing effort is directed towards convincing people that these cheap ukes are as good as or better than the K brands or others in the +$500 range.

That results in him saying a lot of nonsense things that people like Barry and Mim will call him out on, and he never takes it well. So he made this video to snipe at them all.



Like I said... everything about Rich's POV makes sense when you remember he has his own business selling entry-level Chinese ukes, and he's not that ethical about it.

He should not have made this video since he admits he doesn't know anything more than gossip about it. "I may have gotten a lot of this wrong." Yeah, I think so. There's someone else I'll never have to watch on YouTube.

 

[Jerryc41]

What type of music is the gentleman in this World of Ukes sound sample video playing ?

Movie background music? Testing the uke for sound?

 

[Spieler]

Good advice for sure. But I think some "contrasting" examples posted here provide some good perspective about all of this. I'm also certain that some have passed this way and thought that some of our "expectations" are unrealistic or unreasonable. Clearly they are not, as some wonderful dealers have tirelessly bent over backward to provide us with great experiences year after year.

Yes, the contrast, for sure: it's not just that Entity A was broadcasting incorrect and/or misleading information in an attempt to promote and defend various pricing practices; he directly dissed some of the best, as far as true customer service and value for price.

What an extraordinary disconnect.

I'm not sure it's been highlighted here yet, but TUS does charge for full setups for instruments under a certain price point:

So, economics of scale/diminishing financial return are brought to bear-- with clarity, and excellence in the execution throughout.

Good Ukulele Dealers: count me among those for whom this thread has thrown into relief, and evoked renewed gratitude for, the service and care so many provide as their default: it's who they are, and thus what they do.
Integrity, indeed.

~ S.

 

[bbkobabe]

pro bozo vs pro bono

( no offense meant to any clowns )
( or those who actually do give free setups )

Actually... Pro Pono...

 

[Nickie]

Not to keep kicking the horse, but I think something to keep in mind: ULTP probably does do quite a bit of volume in sales. Between that and the relatively small number of non-Amazon type dealers, it seems unlikely to me that the brands he sells would stop doing business with him. It leaves too much money on the table. Will they say something to him? Possibly. Or probably. But if he's selling a lot of their ukes, I have a hard time seeing them stop doing business with him. I could be wrong, and I guess we'll see how this shakes out. But to me, it feels more like it will be a slap on the hand moment than actual pulling their brands from ULTP. He would actually have to be decreasing their sales volume with his tactics, and from what I can tell, despite his setup controversies, he seems to be mostly going after competing retailers. The brands he carries might tell him to cut it out. But I'm not holding my breath for them to withdraw from their partnerships. Man, I hate sounding so cynical.

Oh, I don't think you sound cynical at all. This is how modern capitalism works, after all.

 

[Nickie]

This guy won't quit! I don't recommended watching, it's the usual rambling garbage, but the comments are worth a read, esp under the second one (takeway- some people just have to know but cannot figure it out for themselves and must be told what is going on). Mid-way through the second he says new players don't need a set up and that if you need an expensive set up you'd better be a great player otherwise you are foolish. And this is coming from someone who has admittedly bought hundreds of cheap ukuleles.

I couldn't watch either one of these. Man, he is boring.

 

[badhabits]

Not to keep kicking the horse, but I think something to keep in mind: ULTP probably does do quite a bit of volume in sales. Between that and the relatively small number of non-Amazon type dealers, it seems unlikely to me that the brands he sells would stop doing business with him. It leaves too much money on the table. Will they say something to him? Possibly. Or probably. But if he's selling a lot of their ukes, I have a hard time seeing them stop doing business with him. I could be wrong, and I guess we'll see how this shakes out. But to me, it feels more like it will be a slap on the hand moment than actual pulling their brands from ULTP. He would actually have to be decreasing their sales volume with his tactics, and from what I can tell, despite his setup controversies, he seems to be mostly going after competing retailers. The brands he carries might tell him to cut it out. But I'm not holding my breath for them to withdraw from their partnerships. Man, I hate sounding so cynical.

Makes sense, but that might be assuming that the ukes sold by #1 would otherwise go unsold...which for the high end/Ks I don't think would be the case. I think they sell everything they make and there is still demand. OTOH I see kala as being kinda screwed as they have a ultp signature model... seriously!

 

[Spieler]

Makes sense, but that might be assuming that the ukes sold by #1 would otherwise go unsold...which for the high end/Ks I don't think would be the case. I think they sell everything they make and there is still demand. OTOH I see kala as being kinda screwed as they have a ultp signature model... seriously!

Kala having undercut reputable dealers with direct-to-consumer instruments (at lower prices than dealer tiers support), and deputizing a host of "influencers" as drop-ship Sellers (haven't checked, but likely with signature editions for these as well)...?
I recognize the challenges of retail in this current landscape, and the need for responsive business models (and outright Change), but my Kala sympathy bird flew right out the window a couple years back.
~ S.

 

[Sargon]

Oh, I don't think you sound cynical at all. This is how modern capitalism works, after all.

"Free ukes for the Proletariat!"

 

[ploverwing]

"Free ukes for the Proletariat!"

You know, so many of the world's problems would go away if we were each gifted a good quality soprano ukulele at the age of 8 to 10 and taught some basic singing and strumming to get started on.